The Reason
by farawaylongago
Summary: 'Why are you Hermione Granger? Like why do you always strive to be the best and why you used to be a bookworm, things like that. To me it looked like you were always trying to impress someone or prove something." Just an innocent question can lead to so much more than Draco Malfoy expected... one-shot


**Why are you Hermione Granger?**

**By Farawaylongago**

**Summary – ''Why are you Hermione Granger? Like why do you always strive to be the best and why you used to be a bookworm, things like that. To me it looked like you were always trying to impress someone or prove something."**

**A/N – Heeeeeeey I am back! If you have read my story 'unexpected love and help' you will know that I have stopped writing it and I also added if anyone wanted to continue it. Two people have someone has asked if they could do it so I will be adding onto the story the url of theirs. Anyway so after reading the tales of beedle the bard I just suddenly came up with this one-shot and another which I plan to post and so here is one of them! Review to let me know what you think! Enjoy!**

Who would have thought that Hermione Granger, Brightest Witch of her Age and Draco Malfoy, Ex Death-Eater would be sitting in a marvellous common room playing truth or dare with each other.

Who would have thought that they were very close friends and were currently telling each other a lot of truths and ignoring the dare part of the game because it was sort of 3 o'clock in the morning and they didn't want to get into trouble?

But both were oblivious to the time as they just enjoyed each other's company as much as they could. Because no-one knew of their relationship, it was a close friend relationship of course, even best friends, but not a romantic relationship. Though they both wanted romance between them, they were just too afraid to admit it to each other.

Each Saturday night they played truth or dare with each other. At the start of the night before curfew they play dares on each other. Then as the night goes longer the truths start; they always start of really plain and normal, like favourite colour (and surprisingly both of theirs are purple) but after a while the questions became deeper and more personal.

Tonight Draco had just finished answering Hermione's question (which was how did you feel when you were about to kill Dumbledore?) and was thinking about what he could ask Hermione… He had already asked a lot of things, he knew all her favourite things, embarrassing moments, happiest moments, wishes… He probably knew more about Hermione than Potty and Weasel did!

He suddenly came up with one as he was looking at her… _It probably isn't personal_ he thought _but I have always wanted to know why, so I may as well ask. _"Hermione," he said as she was about to drink some more of their secret stash of Big M; which Hermione introduced to Draco and it was currently both of their favourite drink.

"Why are you Hermione Granger?" he asked as Hermione was lifting the glass to her lips, which Draco noted were plump, red and shiny with lip balm, _very kissable_ he mused. Her glass stopped a few centimetres from her lips. In a confused tone she asked "What do you mean Draco?" and then she continued bringing her glass to her lips and started drinking.

Malfoy thought for a moment before answering "Like why do you always strive to be the best and why you used to be a bookworm, things like that. To me it looked like you were always trying to impress someone or prove something."

A second ago Hermione was drinking and but suddenly she spat it out, all over Draco. "Merlin's soggy underwear Hermione! Did I really smell that bad?!" Draco half shouted after she started breathing normally again. Noticing she didn't look well he moved closer towards her and knelt in front of her, looking into her chocolate brown eyes. She looked distant, faraway even though she was looking right back at him.

"Are you alright?" he whispered this time, still keeping contact with her hazy eyes. After a second or two she whispered back "Merlin's soggy underwear? Really Draco?" with a smile gracing her lips. He grinned; glad Hermione was ok and he started laughing with her.

After a couple of minutes of laughing the girl actually realised what she had done to Draco and started to fuss over him, apologising every chance she could. The Big M would have vanished ages ago but Hermione had forgotten where her wand was. After searching for a while she finally realised it was in her pocket which made her blush like mad and Draco roll on the floor with laughter. So Hermione just scourgifyed him while he was laughing.

"So my question Hermione?" he asked again while getting off the floor. He was starting to have second thoughts about his question. Hermione paled instantly and suddenly became interested in her hands. "Mia?" he said wanting her to know that she could tell him. At the nickname Hermione's head jerked up, almost making Draco jump in shock.

'Mia' was what he called her when she didn't want to tell him something important; for example, why Ron and her broke up (he called her a bookworm, know it all, boring, snotty and some other rude words, oh and then he told her he had been cheating on her with Lavender Brown because apparently she was a much better kisser than she was).

"Can I trust you?" she whispered her eyes wide with fear. He hesitated for a moment but nodded anyway. She sighed and looked down again. "This is probably the biggest secret I've got" she said softly "I have never told anyone because… because… I just couldn't bring myself to do it." She took another long breath before continuing. "You're the first and last person to know about this ok?" she whispered, emphasising every word. She waited for him to nod before continuing.

"Before I came to Hogwarts I went to a muggle school, I think it all started in Grade 1. Now I was never the brightest girl, not even close, I never got 100% on a test, 60% if I was lucky. My dad was never happy with that but he never said anything; though my mum always told me he wasn't, that I needed to step up and be smarter, try harder. And I did, but it was never good enough.

One day at school we had to say a country that started with our first name, to learn all the countries. So around everyone went all saying country's beginning with their first name. When it was my turn I hesitated. As I didn't know whether Granger was my first name or Hermione was, so I went with Granger. I had no idea that that one mistake would cause me so much pain and horror."

She stopped talking and started to let tears fall for which Draco found strange and the story was surprising him. Hermione Granger, never got 100%? It was absurd! Crazy! He urged her on to continue making sure to use Mia. But wanting her to continue just made her crying worse and soon the tears became a waterfall. Not knowing what to do with crying girls (since he never had experience with one) Draco patted her back awkwardly.

Hermione then flung herself onto Draco, crying into his grey, dry t-shirt which in a matter of seconds soon became wet. Taking advantage of the position they were in Malfoy started running his hand through her surprisingly soft and silky hair (which he had wanted to do ever since the start of the year), breathing in her apple scented shampoo and rubbing her back at the same time.

Hermione found it soothing and snuggled into her saviour more but the tears kept trickling out of her eyes. It was a while later when Hermione reluctantly pulled away. But Draco made her still stay in his lap not wanting her body warmth leaving him.

So she continued with a shaky breath. "So when it was my turn I said… I said Germany! It was so embarrassing, all the kids started laughing and even my teacher was. I ran out of the classroom and ran home, I was only 7 years old at the time but my home was just a block away from the place I used to love.

So I ran home with tears streaming down my face and all of my classmates laugh ringing in my ears. I got home and started banging on the front door screaming "Mommy! Daddy! Someone open up!" A few seconds later my father opened the door, his nose was red and he had his pyjamas on. He was sick so he was staying home.

At that moment the elderly couple who lives opposite us where out of their house in the front yard, looking worried and curious as to what my father would do for they knew he had a temper. Noticing this as well dad hugged me and took me inside.

As soon as the front door shut close he plonked my on the couch stood towering above me. "What happened?" he asked in such a scary voice. I was extremely frightened then, I had seen my dad mad but never like that. But being the courageous idiot I was I explained to him in a confident voice what happened.

As soon as I was done talking he slapped me across the face. And that's when it started. He started slapping my face until it bled. He punched me everywhere and after a while he got out the wooden spoon we use for cooking and started hitting me with it. The pain was excruciating. It felt like the cruciatas curse it was that bad. I was screaming at him to stop, "Daddy! Stop please Daddy it hurts!Daddy!" but he would reply "You deserve it you idiot! No child of mine will get lower than 100%! I am sick of you and your lousy excuse for a brain!" stuff like that.

Once he was done I was bleeding everywhere and I was sure I had broken bones. Noticing that my blood was getting on the couch father grabbed one of my legs and dragged me up the stairs to the guest bedroom and he chucked me in there, locked the door and left me there.

I was there until my mother came home for lunch. But before she did father took me back to the lounge room chucked me on the couch and whispered into my ear "If you say anything about this to anyone you will be punished beyond your imagination. Your mother is coming home in 5 minutes. You are going to nod to everything I say and go with the story. You are going to get no less than 100% on your tests and papers or there will be more beatings, do you understand?"

I didn't nod because I was in so much pain; so he gripped my hair and pulled it up and down so he could do the nodding himself. No less than 5 seconds later mother came through the door and screamed when she saw me.

Father suddenly rushed into a story, something about how he found me like this on the side of the road or something like that… I was in the hospital for around 3 weeks before they let me out. I went back to school and everyone still laughed at me. In the time I had been away at the hospital it had gotten around to the whole school how dumb I was. So I was the laughing stock of the school.

The only person who didn't laugh was the school librarian who let me stay in the library when I wasn't in classes. From then on I studied hard, I read every book there was in the library for grade 1's because I knew I would get a beating if I didn't try.

My test scores were improving, but I never got 100% so every time I got a beating… never as bad as the first one but I always had bruises where clothes could cover. At the end of grade 1 I managed to get 100% on one of my tests, I still got a beating. You know why? It was because it took me too long to get everything correct."

By now Hermione was a mess and Draco's shirt was completely see-through. The poor girl couldn't stop shaking but Draco was frozen. He understood what it was like to be punished, but at such a young age? Draco only had a beating once when he failed to kill Dumbledore, but to have them so many times? And at a hospital for 3 weeks? He knew muggle's took longer to heal because they didn't have magic, but even he knew that was long.

After regaining his shock Draco started comforting Hermione in the best way he could, nothing was working so he just let her get all her tears out. She wouldn't stop. After half an hour Draco was considering asking her best friends but thought against it as it would mean bringing their close friend relationship out to the public.

Though Hermione calmed down and continued on, but the story was hard to understand since she had the hiccups. "When I got my Hogwarts letter I was so relieved and happy. Finally I could move away from home and it meant no more beatings. But before I left my father had me promise that I would be the best kid there. I had to be a perfect nerd student. He made me read every textbook and tested me, every time I got a question wrong I would get a smack with the wooden spoon. By the time I had left for Hogwarts the spoon had layers of dried blood.

So I got to Hogwarts and first year well me you know what happened; Ron, Harry and I helped defeat Voldermort and we searched about the Philosophers Stone. Professor Dumbledore sent a letter to my parents telling them of the achievements I had made. Apparently my dad didn't think so because I had broken rules. I had a beating.

Second year I made polyjuice potion and tried to open the chamber of secrets. That meant another letter and another beating. Third year was the worst beating because I helped Sirius Black escape, so another letter and another beating. 4th year I got into a relationship with Victor Krum, I had another beating because I wasn't allowed to date until I was 18. Every year I got a beating for something.

Every holiday I managed to spend at least half the time with the Weasley's just to get away from my family. My mother never had any clue of what went on with me and my dad, she just thought I wanted to spend more time with my friends.

When I obliviated my parents I was so happy to get away from my father. But I found them again and lifted the spell off my mother, not my father. Mother wasn't even a bit mad at me once I explained why. She was actually relieved that she was able to never know my father again, like me."

Hermione paused for a moment and let in a shaky breath while wiping her tears onto the sleeve of her Weasley jumper she was wearing. "So that Draco is why I try to act like a goody two-shoes, why I am a bookworm, why I am so against breaking rules. That's why I am the brightest witch of my age. That's why I am Hermione Granger."

**This is sort of the end of the story; there is a whole half more for you to read if you want. It sort of came to me at the end when I finished the first half. It's more fluffy and the first half is better so if you like that stuff read on! I hope you liked what you read so far as I am pretty proud of it and I think that's my best work! Give the other half a try, it can't be that bad! ;) **

The silence (besides the sobs from the broken girl) signalled to Draco that the story was over, so he kept silent and let Hermione to continue to cry on him. A million thoughts were running through his head. And he wanted to do something about her problem, but what?

So he let Hermione rest on him until she fell asleep while he thought of ideas. Noticing she was asleep he lifted her gently and carried her to her room and laid her down gently onto the red covered bed and noticed how her curls fell across her face.

He gently lifted the curls off but a hand grabbed his before he could touch them. He jumped from the shock but instantly recognised the soft and petite hand to be Hermione's, but who else's hand could it have been?

"Draco," she whispered with her eyes still closed "can I please sleep with you? I just don't feel well enough to sleep by myself and I feel like company right now…" Draco smiled at this and lifted her up again, bridal style and whispered "of course you can."

He carried her into his room, pulled the sheets back and jumped in with her since they were both already in their pyjamas. After a minute of silence Hermione whispered "Thankyou" into his ear and before Draco could ask 'why' she was asleep, snuggled into him. "Anything for you Hermione" he whispered after a while but still not understanding the meaning behind 'thank you'.

The next morning Hermione woke before Draco and was confused for a moment as to why she was snuggled against Draco Malfoy and why he had his arm slung over her. She tried to remember last night and instantly memories came flooding back.

Remembering everything and noting that she told her biggest secret to Draco Malfoy of all people, a tear rolled down her face, onto Draco's t-shirt. That one tear was enough to wake up the sleeping boy. He pulled Hermione into his chest and started running his hands through her hair. It was enough to calm her down and she started to get sleepy again, they both felt comfortable in each other's embraces.

After staying like that for some time Draco asked a question which was running through his mind before he fell asleep. "Hermione, do you like your last name?" he asked softly. Her reaction was instant, she shook her head and into his chest she muffled "it reminds me of him, what he did and the mistake I made. I know Father thought he was doing well but it was so wrong Draco, so painful and just plain wrong!" she half shouted. She stopped for a moment before asking in a small voice "can I stay here longer?"

Draco laughed at this and Hermione loved the feeling of the rumble that erupted through his chest. "Stay as long as you want, but I just need to write a letter to my mother, is that ok?" She nodded and reluctantly but willingly at the same time he left the bed and walked slowly to the lounge to begin writing his letter.

In less than 5 minutes a letter to Narcissa Malfoy was completed and re read by the writer to make sure he didn't miss anything before signing his name. The letter included Hermione's problem though not mentioning who, and asking for his mother's wisdom to what he should do about the problem.

Satisfied with the letter he produced, Draco rose from the plush couch and walked back to his room where Hermione was standing outside, looking at the view from the balcony. Unsure of what to do Draco walked over and stood next to her, also admiring the view.

"It's beautiful isn't it? Hogwarts I mean." Hermione whispered. Knowing she needed comfort at that moment Draco put his arm around her and she hugged him back. "You ok?" he murmured into her mass of curls, her response was a nod.

"Would you like to come to the Owlery with me?" He asked after a few seconds of silence. Draco knew how secretive Hermione was of their friendship with others so he added "Its Hogsmeade weekend so everyone is out now, no-one will see us." From his chest he heard a muffled ok.

"Would you like to get dressed back in your room or borrow some of my clothes?" without even answering Hermione walked back inside and over to Draco's closet, picked out 2 shirts and chucked one of them to him. Quickly the shirts were on the two people and they made their way down to the Owlery, walking in silence, just enjoying each-others company.

That afternoon a response came to Draco Malfoy who was on the couch finishing a transfiguration essay. The dark brown owl hooted from the window, alerting him that he had mail and also seemed to have a package from the looks of it.

Knowing the owl was from his mother and remembering Hermione was spending the rest of the day with her so called best friends; he ran to the window, eager to read his mother's wisdom and see the package.

It took him less than a minute to read the letter from his mother. The letter to him was astounding and the shock from it took a while to recover. But eventually the idea came around and the more he thought about it the better the idea became.

Even after a lot of thinking of the possibilities that could happen if it turned out wrong or even if it worked, he was still convinced that the idea was perfect. He pondered when he could do it and thought the best time would be Saturday night truth or dare. _Oh merlins beard that's a whole week away! I can't wait that long! She needs help now!_

It was true, for some reason ever since she told him she became quieter, it was like she had forgotten about her father, but now she remembered. But Draco knew that Saturday night was the perfect time to help her.

The week passed slowly for Draco and Hermione, for they both wanted Saturday to come but both for different reasons. The night finally came, they had seen each-other all week of-course but Saturday night was a special and to them it felt like the only time they could truly be themselves.

Draco had to wait for a while until his plan came into action. It was at one o'clock in the morning until his plan came together; it would have happened sooner but he sort of forgot the plan which is kind of awkward on his behalf.

So finally Draco thought the time was right, the box that used to be in the package was now in his pocket and it was getting heavier by the second. "Hermione," Draco started, "Truth or Dare?" Hermione laughed and said "Draco I think truth considering its one in the morning, past curfew and I don't want Filch catching us! So truth."

Draco nodded and swallowed the saliva was forming in his mouth. Slowly he got up and walked over to Hermione, knelt in front of her, ever so slowly pulled out the box from his pocket and placed it in front of her on his hand. "Hermione Jean Granger, Your truth question, is will you marry me?"

The box popped open and in there sat a gold ring with a gold rose on top. On the rose were small emeralds and rubies gems placed everywhere to look like water droplets; all together it was a beautiful ring and showed the love was between a Gryffindor and Slytherin, how they could become one and be beautiful together.

The nerves that consumed him finally flooded away and he was pretty pleased with himself for not mixing up words or anything. But Hermione's shocked face brought the nerves back and he quickly rushed into a very fast explanation,

"Look Hermione when I heard what your dad… umm well did I wanted to help you and then you said you hate your last name so I thought why not change it? Look I know we aren't in a relationship and we have never even been on a date or anything but I love you and have for a long time and I would do anything to make you happy."

Feeling like he hadn't taken a breath for a while, Draco Malfoy took another massive breath before saying "So will you change your name to Hermione Malfoy by marrying me?"

The silence was painful to Draco and felt like an eternity to him though in reality it was only a couple of seconds. Hermione opened her mouth and whispered "Do I have to put it on myself?" If you were in the room at that moment you could have probably felt the sexual tension between them break as their love was finally out in the open.

The second the ring was on Hermione's slim finger Draco swept her into a hug, spinning her around before placing her down with their lips centimetres apart. He was about to lean in for a kiss but Hermione put a finger on his lips.

"I heard you, you know; when you asked why I said thank you to you. I said it because I was thankful that you listened, I knew that you cared the way your body was tense and rigid the whole time. When I told you I knew I could trust you it was because I love you too, for a while actually as well. I never thought that you would try helping me with, you know, my past. I never expected you to, but I am over the moon that you did and I don't think you could have created a better idea. I would love to change my name to Hermione Malfoy and forget my Granger past."

And with that she crashed her lips onto his and they both let out their love for each other in that one kiss, that one kiss that felt like a roller coaster with fireworks, that one kiss that confirmed Hermione Granger could forget her horrid past and become Hermione Malfoy.

She will be the same person as Hermione Granger; the same bookworm, the same brightest witch of her age. She will still have her bushy mass of hair and everything will be exactly the same. The reason why Hermione was a Granger is because it tied her to her dad and the pain behind their relationship, only that separates Hermione Malfoy from Hermione Granger. That's the only difference.

**Haha that was so sappy and fluffy! I just thought it was a cute idea, it's like another story sort of. I couldn't be bothered making it into another chapter. So I hoped you liked it! Leave your thoughts in the box below and then press the done button! Haha; Brooms can be Romantic is another one shot I am working on and will come shortly so watch out for that!**

**Love you all! Farawaylongago xx**


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